ANNUAL REPORT January, 2009

University of CaliforniaUniversity of CaliforniaUniversity of CaliforniaUniversity of California

Maxwell Norton Interim County Director/Farm Advisor

University of California Staff:University of California Staff:University of California Staff:University of California Staff:

Vacant Nutrition, Family, and Consumer Science

Advisor

Kris Randal Master Gardener Coordinator

Mariposa County Staff:Mariposa County Staff:Mariposa County Staff:Mariposa County Staff:

Donna Wice 4-H Coordinator

Valarie Goodwin Office Manager

5009 FAIRGROUNDS RD.5009 FAIRGROUNDS RD.5009 FAIRGROUNDS RD.5009 FAIRGROUNDS RD.

MARIPOSA, CA 95338MARIPOSA, CA 95338MARIPOSA, CA 95338MARIPOSA, CA 95338 (209) 966(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966----2417241724172417

(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966----7725 NFCS7725 NFCS7725 NFCS7725 NFCS (209) 966(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966----4829 4HYDP4829 4HYDP4829 4HYDP4829 4HYDP

(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966----7078 MG Hotline7078 MG Hotline7078 MG Hotline7078 MG Hotline (209) 966(209) 966(209) 966(209) 966----5321 fax5321 fax5321 fax5321 fax

Visit our Website:

http://cemariposa@ucdavis.eduhttp://cemariposa@ucdavis.eduhttp://cemariposa@ucdavis.eduhttp://cemariposa@ucdavis.edu

County of Mariposa

Cooperative Extension

Maxwell Norton

Workshops and Events held in 2009

Garden Tours Safe at Home

Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale Integrated Vegetation Management Seminar

Tree/Grape Pruning Class Victory Garden Workshop

Vegetable Preservation Class Mistletoe & Bark Beetle Workshop

Mistletoe Workshop Ornamental Grasses Workshop

Winter Garden Workshop IPM Bark Beetle Seminar

Our Mission And GoalsOur Mission And GoalsOur Mission And GoalsOur Mission And Goals

I am pleased to be entering my second year as Interim Farm Advisor and County Director. I have greatly enjoyed working with the County of Mariposa and assisting the citizens here. I had the opportunity to provide technical assistance to people coming into the office, calling on the phone, and sending in e-mail questions. Espe-cially fun was visiting land-owners at their farms to discuss solutions to their prob-lems. Cooperative Extension worked closely with the County Ag Commissioner to produce an invasive weed management workshopinvasive weed management workshopinvasive weed management workshopinvasive weed management workshop which had excellent attendance. The par-ticipants left with the tools to better manage both invasive and native weeds on pri-vate and public lands. We have another planned for 2010. Also planned is a work-shop on managing vertebrate pests. I conducted a demonstration trial on how to safely apply herbicides to control inva-control inva-control inva-control inva-sive weed treessive weed treessive weed treessive weed trees (such as tree of heaven) with out spraying. This is especially impor-tant to residents who need to control woody species near streams and ponds and do not want to risk contaminating the water. 2010 is already turning out to be a busy & productive year.

Cooperative Extension’s mission is to serve California through the creation, develop-ment, and application of knowledge in the areas of horticultural crops, home gardens and orchards, natural resources, home economics, and 4-H youth development. Our goals include working to carry out educational and research programs that are di-rected by the needs and concerns of the community, investigating and presenting infor-mation to the public concerning alternative and niche crops, and strengthening com-munity development and leadership skills in our youth and adults. In Mariposa County we are also known as the Farm Advisor’s office.

The MGs had huge year in 2009: From January through May one day a week, our team conducted MG Training ClassesTraining ClassesTraining ClassesTraining Classes for Merced and Mariposa at Mc Cay Hall in Catheys Valley. We also held two fruit treefruit treefruit treefruit tree pruning pruning pruning pruning workshopsworkshopsworkshopsworkshops – near Greeley Hill and one near Mariposa. In April we held a vegetable garden work-vegetable garden work-vegetable garden work-vegetable garden work-shopshopshopshop and also a grape pruning workshopgrape pruning workshopgrape pruning workshopgrape pruning workshop. In May we hosted kindergarten kids on a field tripfield tripfield tripfield trip to Mariposa Creek Demonstration Garden. From May through October, you can find an educational bootheducational bootheducational bootheducational booth at the Mariposa Farmers Market answering the public’s questions about growing your own food and healthy eating. The Annual Plant SalePlant SalePlant SalePlant Sale during Butterfly Days is a popular event.

Nutrition, Family and Consumer Science ProgramNutrition, Family and Consumer Science ProgramNutrition, Family and Consumer Science ProgramNutrition, Family and Consumer Science Program

Master Gardener ProgramMaster Gardener ProgramMaster Gardener ProgramMaster Gardener Program

Master Gardener Training

The Mission of the Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences program is to make a difference in the lives and health of individuals, families and the communities of Mariposa County. Food Safety:Food Safety:Food Safety:Food Safety: The Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor for Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties, Margaret Collins, conducted several food safety classes in 2009 for 4-H club members, and trained 22 individuals. In September a pressure canning workshop was conducted for over 15 individuals in Mariposa County. Nutrition:Nutrition:Nutrition:Nutrition: The partnership with Mariposa Safe Families continued in 2009 with a series of menu planning and food budgeting classes offered in both Mariposa and Coulterville. Margaret was also part of the Mariposa/Coulterville Safe At Home Days planning committees, as-sisted with menu planning and food preparation for over 300 people at the event in Mariposa, and had an information booth at both the Mariposa and Coulterville 2009 events. Margaret conducted food demonstrations at the Mariposa Farmers Market and provided healthy recipes and food safety information. Over 700 healthy recipes were distributed at the 2009 Mariposa County Fair. Food Security/Access:Food Security/Access:Food Security/Access:Food Security/Access: Margaret spoke to the Manna House Food Bank Board about UCCE Mariposa Nutrition Services, and met with the volunteers at Manna House to discuss nutrition and food safety issues. Margaret also did a presentation on Food Security and Container Gardening for the Mariposa Master Gardeners, and provided technical support in the area of Food Security/Access issues in rural areas for a meet-ing during the development of the Manna House Garden.

From May through October our Greeley Hill MG officeGreeley Hill MG officeGreeley Hill MG officeGreeley Hill MG office is open Saturdays to provide assistance to our North County Residents. They are also available by appointment the rest of the year. Our Mariposa Mariposa Mariposa Mariposa officeofficeofficeoffice is staffed two days/week year round and the public can leave questions on our hot line any time. During the summer we gave a weekly educational presentation at the kid’s summer day campkid’s summer day campkid’s summer day campkid’s summer day camp in Mari-posa while it was running. A workshop on bark beetle diagnosis and mistletoe controlworkshop on bark beetle diagnosis and mistletoe controlworkshop on bark beetle diagnosis and mistletoe controlworkshop on bark beetle diagnosis and mistletoe control was held in Mid-pines. September was filled with preparing for and participating in the County FairCounty FairCounty FairCounty Fair. We decorated the Horti-culture Building, we provided trained docents for the Horticulture Building, and we had an electronic Kiosk available for printing out answers to questions. The MGs also sponsored the Fast food for the garden entries with prizes.

Fall featured another mistletoe and bark beetles workshop in Hornitosbark beetles workshop in Hornitosbark beetles workshop in Hornitosbark beetles workshop in Hornitos as well as an Ornamental Grass WorkshopOrnamental Grass WorkshopOrnamental Grass WorkshopOrnamental Grass Workshop. In December members attended advanced IPM trainingadvanced IPM trainingadvanced IPM trainingadvanced IPM training workshops to increase their ability to provide technical assistance. MG educational materials can be found in the Greeley Hill and Mariposa librariesGreeley Hill and Mariposa librariesGreeley Hill and Mariposa librariesGreeley Hill and Mariposa libraries. Visitors can stroll along our Mariposa Creek native plant demonstration gardennative plant demonstration gardennative plant demonstration gardennative plant demonstration garden any time. We find this is a popular stop for touriststouriststouriststourists. You will find MGs participating in the County AgriAgriAgriAgri----Nature tourNature tourNature tourNature tour weekends. We have a speaker’s bureauspeaker’s bureauspeaker’s bureauspeaker’s bureau and can provide presentations for your organization.

Mariposa County 4-H Youth Development Program offers a wide vari-ety of projects, and activities to help our local youth to become responsi-ble, self-directed, and productive members of our community. The pro-gram delivery modes are clubs, special projects from rocketry, cake deco-

rating, and fly fishing to livestock, 4-H Camp Tweety, and the school enrichment program, Ag in the Classroom. Providing the “learn-by-doing” educational experience develops skills that will benefit youth throughout their life. 4-H provides a healthy and edu-

cational environment for the county’s youth to develop into capable young adults. Here is a sample of highlights from our busy year working with the youth of Mariposa County: Safe at HomeSafe at HomeSafe at HomeSafe at Home was a community event featuring booths dealing with the theme of recycling. Used recycled paper and other items to create cards, puppets etc. Approximately 300+ youth and adults attended this event. Mariposa County Pow Wow - 4-H, MGs and our Nutritional Consumer Science Advisor all teamed up with an informational booth about local programs. 4-H had a food booth with 20+ 4 -Hers and 10+ 4-H leaders working. Over the two days there were approximately 1000 in attendance. Relay for Life- 4-H team with 2 leaders and 10 members on our team. There may have been other leaders and members on other teams sharing and supporting the ones who have cancer or have lost ones from this disease. Members and leaders spent the night and did the relay walk. Hundreds of people attended. Camp Tweety Camp Tweety Camp Tweety Camp Tweety - 4-H camp that is an outreach camp for non-4H mem-bers and homeless. There were 55 campers plus 10 chaperones and 3 helpers. Not quite half of the campers were nonNot quite half of the campers were nonNot quite half of the campers were nonNot quite half of the campers were non----4444----H members, which H members, which H members, which H members, which

underscores that our programs are available to the whole commu-underscores that our programs are available to the whole commu-underscores that our programs are available to the whole commu-underscores that our programs are available to the whole commu-nity.nity.nity.nity.

Personal Day Tracker

4444––––H Youth Development ProgramH Youth Development ProgramH Youth Development ProgramH Youth Development Program

Menu Planning for Childcare Providers:Menu Planning for Childcare Providers:Menu Planning for Childcare Providers:Menu Planning for Childcare Providers: A successful partnership was forged with UCCE and ICES (Infant Child Enrichment Services) in Mariposa County. A presenta-tion was made by Margaret and Donna in April 2009 to ICES about UCCE services. This resulted in a successful workshop on nutrition and menu planning with over 15 childcare providers in Mariposa County.

Network for a Healthy California Statewide Conference:Network for a Healthy California Statewide Conference:Network for a Healthy California Statewide Conference:Network for a Healthy California Statewide Conference: Margaret was awarded a grant for Mariposa County in 2008 to develop nutrition cur-riculum for Mariposa County. Over 40 low income families were trained using the cur-riculum in 2008-2009 and the results were presented at the 2009 Network for a Healthy California Statewide Conference. See across for an example of the client materials that were developed with the grant.

Canoeing at Camp Tweety

60 yrs. of 4H Fair Booth

B.O.S. present Proclamation

C.T. Luau Pool Party

The The BackBack Page Page

The three tallestThe three tallestThe three tallestThe three tallest waterfalls in North America: Yosemite Falls 2,425 feet Sentinel Fall 2,000 feet Ribbon Fall 1,612 feet

Only CountyOnly CountyOnly CountyOnly County named after an insect - Mariposa - Spanish for butterfly.

Hite's Cove TrailHite's Cove TrailHite's Cove TrailHite's Cove Trail is known by flower experts to be the best place for wildflower viewing in the United States.

Most number Most number Most number Most number of wildlife spe-cies: Mammals - 80 Birds - 247 Amphibians and Reptiles - 24 Fish (6 species) - 10

Oldest rosesOldest rosesOldest rosesOldest roses - Heri-tage Roses - so called because they were in existence before 1867. Located in Coulterville.

Located at the Fairgrounds

Controlling Invasive Weeds

Diagnosing a Vineyard Problem

Research in Action

Ah … then there is the drive Hwy 140